Results 24,481-24,500 of 26,350 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Seanad: Symphysiotomy: Statements (16 May 2012)

Darragh O'Brien: As other Members have done, I welcome all the survivors of what can only be described as a barbaric practice who are in the visitors' Gallery. It is as simple as that. Many of my colleagues have expressed in graphic detail the nature of these actions and their effects on women. I commend the Labour Party for using its Private Members' time to bring the matter to the fore. It is fair to...

Seanad: Order of Business (16 May 2012)

Darragh O'Brien: The Labour Party used to be very good at protesting.

Seanad: Order of Business (16 May 2012)

Darragh O'Brien: Very good.

Seanad: Order of Business (16 May 2012)

Darragh O'Brien: I would like to ask a question about the proposed change to tomorrow's business. Can the Deputy Leader confirm whether the Taoiseach will come to the House for the one-hour debate on the recent meeting of the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly? As I said yesterday, the Taoiseach rightly saw fit to come to the Seanad Chamber to address members of other parliaments from other jurisdictions,...

Seanad: Order of Business (16 May 2012)

Darragh O'Brien: Perhaps tomorrow's debate might give him an opportunity to do so. Last evening's debate on the mortgage crisis and the mortgage arrears situation, during which we made statements and asked questions of the Minister of State, Deputy Brian Hayes, was long overdue but very useful. Some excellent contributions were made by Senators on all sides of the House. It was clear to me that the...

Seanad: Order of Business (16 May 2012)

Darragh O'Brien: Yesterday, people on the Government side rightly criticised Austria, in particular, for talking about a Greek exit from the euro. We are either in the euro or we are not.

Seanad: Order of Business (16 May 2012)

Darragh O'Brien: I am concluding now. This is really important. I would like the Deputy Leader to comment on the statement the Minister for Finance made on Bloomberg. The Minister, Deputy Noonan, seems to make statements to international news media that he is not prepared to make to the media here. Is the Government committed to Greece staying in the euro? Will the Minister withdraw the insensitive and...

Seanad: Order of Business (16 May 2012)

Darragh O'Brien: It is nothing personal at all.

Seanad: Order of Business (16 May 2012)

Darragh O'Brien: What does the Senator make of his comments about Greece?

Seanad: Order of Business (16 May 2012)

Darragh O'Brien: No. I am talking about what he said on Bloomberg.

Seanad: Order of Business (16 May 2012)

Darragh O'Brien: Am I?

Seanad: Mortgage Arrears: Statements, Questions and Answers (15 May 2012)

Darragh O'Brien: Their advice will not be binding. That is the problem. They will not be arbiters. They will not have an arbitration role - that is the problem.

Seanad: Mortgage Arrears: Statements, Questions and Answers (15 May 2012)

Darragh O'Brien: I welcome the Minister of State. I recognise the work he is doing in this regard and in the many areas of his portfolio and wish him continued success because he has been to the forefront of a number of difficult issues with which the Government has had to deal. I was pleased he recognised the frustration the public and Members feel at the slowness of this. It is a complex issue which...

Seanad: Order of Business (15 May 2012)

Darragh O'Brien: Go away out of that. The Senator is really stretching it.

Seanad: Order of Business (15 May 2012)

Darragh O'Brien: The Senator's party has been in government for 15 months. Would she give me a break?

Seanad: Order of Business (15 May 2012)

Darragh O'Brien: Could Ministers not have done that?

Seanad: Order of Business (15 May 2012)

Darragh O'Brien: That is the best way to abrogate responsibility I have ever heard.

Seanad: Order of Business (15 May 2012)

Darragh O'Brien: Yes.

Seanad: Order of Business (15 May 2012)

Darragh O'Brien: Most Members will agree this week has been an historic one for the Houses of the Oireachtas, in particular the Seanad. Our Taoiseach found where the Seanad Chamber was and saw fit to address members of other jurisdictions in the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly, which, by the way, I very much welcome, and yet he has not seen fit in 14 months to come to the House to speak to Members of...

Seanad: Order of Business (15 May 2012)

Darragh O'Brien: This is important and I am trying to give background to the Members because Senators on the other side of the House have rightly raised this issue also. I want to give an example because perhaps people did not understand me last week.